The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-10-05
rLoR1pA.s TOBACCO BOOM.
The Florida Tobacco Producing and
Trading Company.


The Florida Tobacco Producing and
Trading Company
The account given last week, says the
United States Tobacco Journal, Of New
York, of Oct. ], of an attempt at grand
revival of the tobacco culture in Florida,
backed by enterprise, intelligence, exPe-
rience and capital, has created quite a sen
sation in the trade. Further inquiries made,
as promised to our readers, have elected
the following additional most interesting
facts on this subject:
While the entire leaf trade was grumbling
at the stationary aspects of the business,
few enterprising gentlemen, partly lnsti-
gated by the accounts spread in these col
umns Of the phenomenal success of the
Dutch companies in raising Sumatra, went
quietly TO work to effect revival of the
tobacco culture in Florida Sumatra fashion.
This subject has occupied their most care
full attention for the past eight months.
and after the most minute examination into
the possibility and practicablllty OF sue
cessful result they have demonstrated q
their own perfect satisfaction the following
facts:
Fine tobacco, such as to replace gradually
the bulk of both Sumatra and Havana, can
be raised in Florida. II can be raised both
from Sumatra and Cuba seed. If raised
from the former wrapper is produced
such as has never been grown before in this
country, and little, if any, inferior to the
original article If raised from Cuba seed
the wrapper portion resembles fine Havana
leaf in all its distinctive qualities while the
filler appears decidedly better than some of
the genuine Havana used in this country.
The presumption of this assertion is, how
ever, that the seed was originally from a
good locality in Cuba. 1t is likewise the
case with Sumatra. Good seed is a condI-
ton sine qua non For the failure of the
planters in Florida thus far TO revive their
tobacco culture is to be ascribed princi-
pally, TO the nondescript seed obtained
almost from every tobacco growing State
in the Union. Where good seeds, no
bastards. have been used, the results were
most satisfactory.
And so impressed were they with the
favorable results of their investigation that
they at once acquired 10000 acres of land
and formed themselves into The Florida
Tobacco Producing and Trading Company"
with a capital of 100000, and the privilege
to increase it to $780, 600
The incorporators are G.. Storm, of the
firm of Stratton g. Storm, NJ. Oppenheimer
and Peter Miller, Jr.
The officers are NJ. Oppenheimer, Presi-
dent; H. A. Banning, Vice President, Peter
Miller, Jr, Treasurer, and Herman A.
y
New York Office Of the company will be at
81 Third avenue.
The incorporation papers Of this new COM
pany, which may very aptly be called the
FLORIDA Maatschappij." were filed on Sept
20 at Tallahassee and in Gadsden county, the
old tobacco region. According to the laws of
Florida this company seems to have ac-
quired monopoly for the period of twenty
years.
This, taken in connection with the stand
ing of the gentlemen at the head of the en-
terprise, and with the capital at their com
mand would seem as if they were thoroughly
in earnest.
In a conversation with the President,
NJ. Oppenheimer he said that the intention
was to conduct the business of the company
exactly as its title implied. 1t is proposed
to cultivate tobacco on large scale, and in
addition thereto, to encourage the general
cultivation of tobacco by procuring the best
seed possible raising large quantities of
plants under intelligent supervision and dis
tributing some to the planters, so that the
excellence of the product may be reasonably
assured. 1t is the intention of the company
to engage the services Of frst-olass tobacco
raisers from the island of Cuba, as we'll as
from this country
The company has also intentions of leas-
ing farms TO new settlers for the purpose of
raising tobacco, on very liberal terms, with
an option of becoming absolute owners of
the same if they so desire.
Mr.. w. NJ. Cory will be the general
superintendent and reside on the plantation
in Florida. This gentleman is we'll and
favorably known throughout the trade here
as well as in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin,
having received his tuition from Mr. George
Storm, of the house OF Stratton & Storm,
which bespeaks for hun knowledge of no
mean order
Then it is proposed TO profit by the lesson
Sumatra tobacco has taught us, that people
are willing to pay for an article when they
can get exactly what they want. Hence,
the tobacco produced will be assorted with
such perfection as it is impossible to equal
it in any OF the Northern or Western
States. 1t is proposed to partly cure the
tobacco, and then, if necessary, cool it off
by process well understood. Thus the
tobacco will be in condition to be. assorted
as to color, character, size, ETC., with an
accuracy never heretofore attempted; then
packed into bales, and so offered to the
trade
The stock of this company has been
divided among the few parties who had a
knowledge of this project. In other words
no one need apply for it.